


You Got Mail

by Im_Chamsae



Series: Robin Soulmate AUs [3]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Fluff, Jason Todd Being a Little Shit, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, Stephanie Brown is not a vigilante, Tim Drake is Red Robin, TimSteph
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24615952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Im_Chamsae/pseuds/Im_Chamsae
Summary: They say that for some, meeting your soulmate for the first time would be the most memorable experience of your life. Tim Drake held onto that and from his estimations from the timer etched onto his skin, he expected to meet his soulmate when he was 22 years old.He just never expected it to come in the form of a cute, but raging blonde nurse who had just come back from a night shift, pounding on his front door to confront him about his mail in her mailbox.
Relationships: Stephanie Brown & Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake
Series: Robin Soulmate AUs [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1774687
Comments: 4
Kudos: 105





	You Got Mail

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a short tumblr story I had stumbled across called 'The Mystery of the Misplaced Mail', but with a little soulmate AU twist on it.
> 
> Timothy Jackson Drake - Timer Soulmate-identifying mark.

Ever since Tim Drake was born, his timer soulmate mark was already etched onto his skin.

More specifically, it had been tattooed behind his neck. And like most soulmate-identifying timers, there had been no set time yet as it remained at a blank ‘ **00:00:00** ’ for a good thirteen years before his onset of puberty.

On the eve of his 13th birthday, he had stayed awake until the clock struck midnight.

When it finally had, he had quickly approached his bathroom mirror with a smaller hand held one and lifted it to the back of his neck. His bright blue eyes widened in excitement as he stared at the numbers that were slowly counting down the time to his predetermined destined encounter. Within seconds he had done the math.

Nine years.

Approximately nine years from now, when he was 22 years old, he would meet his soulmate.

He could feel an excited bubble erupt from within him as he smiled. He couldn’t wait!

As he grew, he soon learnt the dangers of having a soulmate mark that was so incredibly spottable.

When he had first been pictured in public with the timer counting down, he had seen the many articles that followed it. Many which had accurately declared that he would be 22 years old when he was to meet his destined soulmate.

Of course, Bruce has taken to having all traces these articles removed, but still, the news was out and he almost dreaded when he would turn 22 years old, and all kinds of people would be suddenly coming out of the woodwork to try and get a claim at being his soulmate.

It was from then on that the young Wayne-Drake heir had taken to growing his hair out. Not too long, but enough to cover his timer from undesirable prying eyes.

True to his predictions, the moment he had turned 22 years old, there had been many people calling up Wayne Manor, all claiming to be his soulmate, which had been ironic considering that he had already moved out of the manor by then. It had even gotten to the point where some had even taken to planning ‘accidental’ meetings with him.

Of course, he knew that most of their claims had been baseless because deep down inside of him, he could feel that they weren’t the one – they weren’t his soulmate.

But as more than half a year passed by, he couldn’t help but wonder where his soulmate was. In fact, everybody did.

Where was Tim Drake's soulmate?

“Your soulmate is still alive, right replacement?”

Tim almost winced at the question at hand as he glared over at where Jason has sat himself down in the sofa of his luxury penthouse living room.

On most days, he would be at work by now, but his family had thought that he very much needed a day off and had sent Jason his way to make sure that he didn't try to sneak out to the office. 

“Last time I checked, yes,” he answered.

“And when was that exactly?”

He sighed, “On my birthday.”

At that, Jason stood up. “Replacement, that was eight months ago. A lot can happen in eight months.” He got closer to him.

Tim stepped back, nursing his cup of hot coffee in his hand. “What are you doing?”

“Turn around,” Tim rolled his eyes at him. “C’mon, I just want to check that it’s still there.”

He knew that it was futile to argue against Jason, so he turned and let the man push his hair aside to check.

Blue eyes widened.

“Holy shit.”

At that Tim whipped around to stare at him, “What? What’s wrong? Did something happen to the mark?” A hint of panic in his voice, ‘Was it still there? Did the clock stop ticking?’

Instead, Jason wordlessly shook his head, his eyes still wide in disbelief. He didn’t speak a word, instead, he held up a single hand and counted each finger down.

It took him two fingers to realise what Jason was implying.

“Are you serious?” exclaimed Tim, almost in a state of disbelief. He placed his coffee cup down.

Jason shook his head; he dropped the last finger.

**BAAM BAAM BAAM**

Jason’s jaw dropped as they both turned to stare at the front door of Tim’s penthouse.

**BAAM BAAM BAAM**

The knocking persisted.

Tim took a gulp as he took quick long strides to the door, he felt a burst of butterflies fluttering in his stomach. God, this was it.

He took one final deep breath and opened the door – only to get hit in the chest with a parcel.

His eyes widened in shock, mildly from the item colliding with his chest, but also because of who had thrown it.

He felt his heart beat faster as he stared at her.

She looked exhausted.

Her blonde hair was tied up into messy bun that slowly threatened to become undone. He could see tired dark circles beneath her deep blue eyes that told him she hadn’t had any sleep recently, which made sense from her clothes that instantly identified her as a nurse. Most likely one that had finished a late-night shift.

‘That’s right!’

She always worked night shifts.

He remembers seeing her uniform before. After all, he had crossed paths with her a few times before in the lobby but they had never really acknowledged each other. He always remembered seeing her return from work whenever he had left in the morning for Wayne Enterprise. She had always entered through the doors just as he was about to leave, neither having the time for conversation but yet, it had been like clockwork.

He never truly got a closer look at her face, but he could have sworn that he had seen a hint of a timer counting down on the back of her neck. But he had never bothered to take a proper look at it and had dismissed it overtime. It was pretty common to have your soulmate mark at the back of your neck, because of that he didn’t dare speculate further about the blonde nurse’s mark.

He regretted it now though.

As he did a quick look over at her, he could clearly see the name tag on her scrubs told him that she worked at West Mercy Hospital, and her name, Stephanie Brown.

He had been so immersed in looking at her that he barely registered the words that angrily came spilling out of the blonde’s mouth, “–putting your freaking mail in my damn mailbox.”

Oh.

“I’m sorry,” he said, quickly, finally catching the gist of the conversation. “I was not aware that this was happening.”

“Well yeah, because I’ve always put it back into your mailbox but it’s been going on for three months now! Three months and I am done!” She told him, fiercely, her eyes finally taking at better look at him.

As she did, Tim would admit that he felt a slight hint of satisfaction in seeing her eyes widened as she probably took him in.

He smiled, “Hi, I’m Tim Drake.” He held out his hand for her to take, “your soulmate.”

As he said it, he watched as she had reached for the back of her neck. He felt a slight twinge as he watched her do so.

Dick had been right; it would be a memorable first meeting.

His thoughts were interrupted by a whistling coming from behind him, he scowled.

Damn, he had forgotten about Jason.

* * *

Stephanie Brown had always known that she would eventually meet her soulmate when she was 23 years old, but as her work at West Mercy Hospital built up over the course of the year, it could be said that it had completely slipped her mind.

Okay, she had completely forgot about the timer at the back of her neck.

But honestly, who could blame her? She worked long twelve-hour night shifts every day. She was constantly on the clock and always seemed to come home now, only to find the penthouse tenant’s mail in her mailbox.

At first, it had been funny but when it’s been happening every day for the past three months without fail, it was just downright ridiculous at this point.

Normally, she would have a pretty good tolerance and would wordlessly return the item to the correct mail box. But after the night she just had, probably the worst since she’s started at West Mercy a year ago, she was done. She took the parcel with her and stormed upstairs to the penthouse of the apartment complex, the only one in the building.

She was enraged.

How difficult was it to read an address? So, what if they both had the same number ‘1’ in their address? It had clearly stated penthouse!? How do you mistake a parcel for the penthouse for a simple plain old apartment? Sure, it could happen sometimes, mix-ups weren’t that uncommon after all. But the fact that it was still happening, and the tenant was still letting it happen – she was going to let this tenant get a piece of her mind.

So, maybe it wasn’t their fault, but she was absolutely done playing the friendly docile apartment neighbour.

When she had finally arrived to the top of the building where the penthouse was (six flights of stairs above her own quaint apartment), she knocked hard and loud. When they didn’t open door the first time, she kept doing so until it opened.

When it finally did open, she let them have it and threw the parcel straight at the person before launching off into a rant. She didn’t even look at him, she couldn’t because all she saw was red at that point.

“I’m sorry,” a deep yet soothing voice spoke. “I was not aware that this was happening.”

She rolled her eyes at that. “Well yeah, because I’ve always put it back into your mailbox but it’s been going on for three months now! Three months and I am done!” She finally looked up, and her eyes widened.

Holy crap, this man was beautiful.

She felt her heartbeat pick up, there was this feeling starting to bubble up inside of her. At that moment, everything seemed to click.

‘Wait, how long do I have left?’

She didn’t know, she hadn’t check it in a while.

“Hi, I’m Tim Drake.” He held out his hand for her to take, “your soulmate.”

She instinctively reached the back of her neck where her timer rested. She felt a slight twinge as she stared into his bright blue eyes and for a moment, she was just lost in them... until a whistling pulled her attention towards the older man standing behind her soulmate.

Tim sighed before hastily shutting the door behind him, ushering her into the hallway as he sent her an apologetic look. “Sorry about that, he can be...” he scratched the back of his head nervously.

God, he was just adorable.

“It’s alright,” she told him. “I’m Stephanie, by the way. Stephanie Brown.” She held out her hand to him now, he smiled as he took it and shook.

“Have you eaten breakfast yet?” Asked Tim, sweetly. “I know this really delicious deli that’s right around the corner from here. Maybe we could grab something to eat?” He offered.

She nodded, “I’d like that, but maybe not now,” he looked a little defeated at her response and she had to chuckle to herself. “I just got back and I kind of want to go to bed.” Tim nodded in understanding. “But I don’t mind going with you later? How about 2pm?”

At that Tim perked up, “that sounds good too. We can meet downstairs in the lobby.”

Stephanie nodded, smiling as she turned away. “Great, it’s a date then.” She gave him one last wave before heading back towards the stairs, “See you soon, Tim.”

He smiled back at her, “You too, Stephanie.”

* * *

**Epilogue**

The moment he stepped back into his penthouse; the first thing he did was pick up the parcel that Stephanie has thrown at him. He threw it right at Jason’s smug face, “I told you to stop messing with my stuff!”

“Hey! You owe me,” replied Jason defensively. “If I hadn’t messed with your stuff; you would never have met your soulmate.”

Damn, he had him there.

**Author's Note:**

> Two birds, one stone. 
> 
> That's Robins three and four down with this fic in my Robin Soulmates AU series. 
> 
> Stephanie Brown was not a vigilante in this fic, but she sure as hell was a Robin, and will always have been a Robin in my heart!
> 
> Thank you for reading.


End file.
